As of this past week, the 2023 awards season is in full swing. The morning after a raucous Golden Globes, the Screen Actors Guild gave those Hollywood hangovers a jolt with the announcement of their nominees for the 29th Annual SAG Awards.
Among the contenders for SAG’s top prize, Best Ensemble, is Sarah Polley’s gorgeous and quietly moving Women Talking, about a group of Mennonite women deciding whether or not to escape their strict religious colony. Nominated alongside award-winning talent like Rooney Mara, Frances McDormand, and Ben Whishaw is up-and-coming nonbinary actor August Winter (they/them) who leaves a lasting impression as Melvin, a trans-masc member of the colony.
With Women Talking opening this month (it’s in select theaters now, and playing wide beginning January 27), it kicks off what’s sure to be Winter’s biggest year yet. Soon, they can be seen in Amazon Freevee’s procedural comedy, Pretty Hard Cases, and later this year they’ll be popping up in sci-fi hit Orphan Black‘s highly anticipated sequel series, Echoes.
We were so struck by Winter’s performance in Women Talking that we jumped at the chance to have them as the latest guest in our rapid-fire Q&A series, Dishin’ It. In our conversation, they touched on how heroes like Eliott Page helped them navigate their own coming out, the Pride that changed their life, and the childhood TV crush that they’ll never forget.
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QUEERTY: Is there a piece of pop-culture—whether a movie, TV series, book, album, etc… —that you consider a big part of your coming-out journey? Why does it stand out to you?
WINTER: When I was first coming out as queer, Elliot Page was an incredibly helpful beacon for me that I held so much respect and gratitude for. Even though I didn’t know him personally, there was a resonance whenever I watched his work; his visibility made me feel that it was acceptable to be who I was.
Then, when I came out of as non-binary, I’d say a really important piece of pop-culture was Mae Martin’s show Feel Good. Mae captured an experience of exploring gender identity and articulating a lot of what I was still trying to find words for, in such a real and also hilarious way.
Related: 5 trans men to crush over in addition to Elliot Page
In Women Talking, you’re surrounded by such phenomenal acting talent— Rooney Mara, Claire Foy, Jessie Buckley, Ben Whishaw, and Frances McDormand, to name a few. What’s something you’d say you learned from them on set? Was there any advice that’s really stuck with you?
Yeah, they’re all pretty remarkable artists! The first thing that comes to mind that I took away from watching them work, was each person’s courage to completely and fully immerse themselves in what their character was feeling and expressing. There was such a deep commitment to fully giving of themselves, not just to the story, but to all the other actors in the room, which created an overall feel of community and support that can be quite rare in the industry.
As a nonbinary actor, what did it mean for you to step into the role of Melvin, a male-identifying member of the Mennonite colony in Women Talking? In your view, why is their story important to the film’s themes?
It was an incredibly meaningful and delicate role to play. It’s one thing to get the opportunity to portray a transgender character, which in itself feels very moving because I’m able to express an important aspect of my own experience. But getting to tell Melvin’s story had a whole other layer of impact because he has made the brave choice to live as who he truly is, within an environment where that decision can potentially hold so many consequences.
I think their story is poignant in relation to the film’s themes because every single person in that hayloft is trying to find a way of moving forward. To me, Melvin’s decision is one representation of the decisions that each person has to make, when committing to imagining a new way of being in their own lives, of connecting to their faith and to each other, despite what has happened.
Where’s one of the first places/spaces you can remember that made you feel a part of a queer community?
I’d say the first time I went to Pride was a really moving experience for me. It was a different kind of belonging than I’d ever felt before. I was looking around at this massive crowd of people who I didn’t know at all, and yet somehow felt this profound sense of family.
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From a quick glance at your Instagram, it seems safe to say you’re a big fan of travel and music. With that in mind, if you’re on a road trip, what’s on your ideal playlist? What genres might be included, or what overall vibe are you going for? What are some songs that have to be included?
Great question! Music is extremely important to me and has this magical ability to tap into creativity like nothing else can. I also love road trips.
I’d say if I were to go on a road trip right now, you’d find a general vibe of ‘acoustic surfer meets thoughtful poet meets ’90s dance tunes, haha. So, definitely Joni Mitchell, maybe some Keith Jarrett, Leon Bridges, Tom Odell, Novo Amor and, of course, Harry Styles.
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Who’s a fictional character you had a crush on at a younger age? What do you remember loving about them?
When I was a teen, I definitely had a crush on Poussey Washington (played by Samira Wiley) from Orange Is the New Black. Looking back, I think I was really drawn to that character’s confidence—they had this totally vibrant presence and sense of humor that I was really drawn to.
Your next project is a sequel series to the sci-fi clone hit, Orphan Black. If you had a clone, what’s something you’d ask them to do for you (i.e. a chore, task, or anything you don’t like doing) and why?
Ha! I would definitely ask my clone to go to larger social “mingling” type gatherings for me. I love people but I am horrible at small talk.
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Who is a queer or trans artist/performer/creator that you think is doing really cool work right now? Why are they someone we should all be paying attention to?
I think Bilal Baig, (actor and brilliant creative mind behind the TV show Sort Of), is on my radar as a really important storyteller in our industry right now. They have created a space for so many different types of representation in a way that feels inclusive and relatable no matter how you personally identify. And, of course, Alok Vaid-Menon. Everyone go follow Alok’s informative, beautiful instagram page if you aren’t already!
Scroll down for more pics from Winter’s Instagram page…
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Related: The best queer movies of 2022: Revisiting our favorite performances, romances, and more
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